By CHIOMA GABRIEL

OSUN State is in the heat of the storm over the August 9, 2014 guber race. Familiar politicians in the state and a few ‘strange’ ones are battling for the soul of the state in the election due tomorrow.

Will the power of incumbency work in favour of governor Rauf Aregbesola who emerged through the Court of Appeal judgment in Ibadan on November 26, 2010 or would the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, an old war horse succeed  him after the election?

*Aregbesola arriving for the Iwo campaign

Aregbesola may have been viewed as a shoo-in given his overwhelming presence in the state’s landscape, but the fear of the PDP blitzkrieg in Ekiti State just over a month ago has struck apprehension in the hierarchy and grassroots of the ruling party in the state.

However, it is being speculated that the decamping of Labour Party’s candidate, Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade’s  from PDP will have an effect on Omisore, the major challenger to the incumbent governor.
Omisore, a two-term senator representing Osun East Senatorial District from 2003-2011 is familiar with political intrigues in the state and has built a solid structure over the years that has survived several political onslaughts.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has assured the people of the State that the August 9 governorship election would be peaceful, daring those parading themselves as political thugs to attempt to disrupt the election and risk being dealt with by security operatives.

To back the threat, the Department of State Security last week flooded the state with at least 900 agents while soldiers and policemen have been mobilized from different formations outside the state to police the state.
President Jonathan who spoke at the PDP rally last Saturday has also promised a level playing ground to allow the expression of one man one vote.

At the same rally, the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, said the PDP had patiently waited for the Osun election, saying it’s going to be an opportunity for the party to take back its mandate that was taken away through the court.

In a similar vein, the Labour Party has spoken in support of its candidate, Alhaji Fatai Akinade Akinbade, expressing optimism that he has the magic wand that would transform Osun state if elected.
The National Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu vowed that his party would win this year’s governorship elections in  Osun state without violence.

“We will win the forthcoming governorship elections in Osun state without violence. Our party is not a party of violence. We don’t believe in violence. We are a party that believes in politics without violence and we will show that when we go for elections in the state.

Osun State PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore and his running mate, Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello acknowledging cheers from supporters during the house-to-house campaign in Ilesa East and West

“The other major parties don’t take us serious in their calculations. But we have shown that we are a formidable party to beat. We will present credible candidates for all elective offices between now and  2015 and we will have more governors and members in the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly.

Nwanyanwu said his party’s candidate, if he wins the election, wouldn’t have any godfather. “We are doing that in Ondo State and we are going to do that in Osun State. We won’t take your money to anywhere. Your money would be spent on the state,” he added.

Meantime, ahead of the elections, 900 fully armed operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) last week stormed Osogbo, the state capital.

Security measures
The deployment of the DSS officials, was part of the security measures aimed to ensure hitch-free conduct of the election and ensure efficient security of life and property before, during and after the conduct of the crucial election.

However, the ruling APC in the state has alleged under -supply of electoral materials for the election but INEC, has dismissed the allegations as baseless.

A press statement issued by the Chief Public Affairs Officer (CPAO) of INEC in Osun, Mrs F. Adenike Tadese, said the allegation was not only misleading, but also laughable, considering the commitment of the electoral umpire to conduct  a free, fair and most acceptable governorship poll in the state.

“INEC wishes to assure the good people of the state that the commission will not disenfranchise eligible voters irrespective of political affiliations from exercising their franchise on August 9.This has become imperative to clear the allegation of misinformation currently in circulation to under- supply electoral materials to some areas during the election.

“INEC wishes to reiterate that adequate and sufficient provisions have been put in place in terms of deployment of electoral materials to cover all the 3,010 polling units on the Election Day”.